


It Should Have Been You

by Not__Misha__Collins



Series: Harry Potter One-shots [11]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Blood and Injury, Brotherly Love, Drinking to Cope, Forgiveness, Gen, Suicidal Thoughts, Survivor Guilt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-06
Updated: 2019-02-06
Packaged: 2019-10-23 02:38:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17674838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Not__Misha__Collins/pseuds/Not__Misha__Collins
Summary: “It should have been you,” George snarled. At least, that’s what it sounded like.Percy flinched like he’d been hit and balled up his fists.George went silent, as if just realizing what he’d said.





	It Should Have Been You

Percy didn’t know how the fight started after Fred’s funeral, how he and his red-eyed younger brother began their shouting match, Bill trying to quell them the whole time.

“It should have been you,” George snarled. At least, that’s what it sounded like.

Percy flinched like he’d been hit and balled up his fists. George went silent, as if just realizing what he’d said. The older brother pulled out his wand.

“Percy, don’t,” Bill warned.

**He was right. Oh, he was so right.** Percy looked at the pale-faced George before apparating to his flat.

…

George froze in place after Percy left. He didn’t look at Bill.

“I…” George stammered, “I didn’t mean to…”

“He’s probably just at his flat,” Bill said, nervous.

“I have to find him,” George said.

He apparated to Percy’s flat, horrified to see blood drippings on the carpet.

“Percy?” he called.

No answer. George searched the place until he found a bloody doorknob and attempted to open it. The door was locked.

“Percy?” he knocked, “Percy, open the door!”

Still no answer.

“Alohomora!”

He swung the door open to see his brother lying on the ground next to a half-empty bottle of fire-whiskey.

“Shit,” George ran to Percy, “Percy? Percy!”

George grabbed Percy’s hand, which had nearly stopped bleeding, but was missing a massive chunk of skin on his palm. He noticed his brother’s face was slightly pale.

“Percy,” George summoned bandages to wrap the wound.

After wrapping up his hand and vanishing the blood, George lifted Percy gently onto his bed. He was grateful to hear steady breathing.

“George!” Bill’s voice, “Percy!”

“In here,” George called.

The eldest brother rushed into the room, shocked by Percy’s unconscious body.

“What happened?” Bill demanded.

“He splinched,” George said, “And, I think he got drunk, too.”

“Idiot,” Bill grumbled.

“Don’t call him that.”

“I wasn’t talking to him. Percy was the last person Fred spoke to, and you know DAMN well he isn’t in the best of mindsets right now. How could you say that to him?”

“I didn’t mean to say that.”

“Didn’t mean it?” Bill snapped, “Well, that makes it so much better. You know what splinching does! He could have DIED!”

“He chose to apparate!”

Bill grabbed George by the collar of his dress robes.

“Percy would trade his life for Fred’s in an instant,” he growled, “Do you think he even WANTS to be alive right now?”

“I…I don’t want Percy to…”

“Don’t you?” Bill yelled, “Because, I have no doubt what you told him is the same thing that’s been running through his head since the battle, and to hear it from his own BROTHER, to have you condemn him…!”

“Percy, I’m sorry!”

“Let him rest,” Bill insisted, “You can apologize when he wakes up.”

…

Percy last remembered the blood covering his hand as he clumsily opened a bottle of fire-whiskey and began to down it like water. Now, his head throbbed as he opened his eyes slightly to see red hair.

“Fred?” Percy whispered.

“No,” it was George.

“Wh…” Percy covered his eyes, “Where am I?”

“Your flat,” George answered.

Percy became aware of his sore hand, which he saw was bandaged.

“What are you doing here?”

“I followed you after you apparated,” George said.

“Why’d you follow me?”

“To apologize.”

“Did you wrap up my hand, too?”

“Bill redid the bandage.”

“Bill’s here?”

“In the kitchen,” George answered, “I…I didn’t mean what I said, I swear.”

“It came out pretty easily for you,” Percy retorted, “Almost like you’ve been thinking about it a lot.”

“I never should have said what I did. I’m sorry.”

“You were right,” Percy said, “Fred shouldn’t have died.”

“No, he shouldn’t have, but neither should you.”

“You would trade me for him if you could.”

“You’re wrong.”

“Am I?”

“Yes!” George yelled, “This isn’t a damn contest. I’m glad you’re here. I love you, Perce. You know that.”

Percy contemplated this. **When was the last time he’d heard that from George?** He was speechless.

“Or, maybe you don’t know that,” the younger brother said, “Maybe you think I blame you or that I resent you for Fred’s death.”

“You do.”

“I was angry, okay? Seeing him like that stirred up all kinds of crap. I wanted a fight and you just happened to be there. I’m sorry.”

“I believe you.”

“Did you let your hand bleed out on purpose?”

“What do you think?”

“I think you’re reckless,” George answered, “And, that you just don’t care anymore.”

Percy didn’t answer.

“Lucky it was just your hand.”

“Yeah,” Percy said dully, “Lucky.”

“Is the drinking a new thing?”

“Of course not,” Percy laughed, “Living on my own is stressful, especially without any help from…But, I brought that on myself, didn’t I?”

“Fred meant it when he welcomed you back.”

“He did?”

“We both did,” George answered, “We missed you.”

“Missed constantly mocking me, more like,” Percy corrected.

“No, just regular old missing you.”

“You and Fred seemed to…”

“To what?”

“Dislike me. Immensely.”

“You wanted to say ‘hate,’ didn’t you?”

Percy was silent.

“You…you think we hated you?”

“You hated me being your brother,” Percy began, “You were ashamed of me.”

“What? No.”

“I heard you when you and Fred said you’d rather have anyone but me for a brother. You thought I couldn’t hear you wandering around the halls, but I could.”

“Perce…”

“I didn’t enforce the rules just to be a killjoy,” Percy continued, “I did it to keep you safe. Seeing the things you two got up to on a constant basis…scared me. Just the very thought of one of you…”

George put his hand comfortingly on Percy’s shoulder.

“I shouldn’t have said that either,” George said, “I…WE shouldn’t have said a lot of the things Fred and I said to, or, about you over the years. We took you for granted. We never expected you to leave.”

Percy wasn’t sure how to respond. He felt tears fall from his eyes, unable to blink them away.

“I’m sorry, Percy,” George repeated, tearing up as well.

Percy sat up, whimpering from putting weight on his hand, and hugged his younger brother.

“Don’t cry,” he said, “I’m not leaving again.”

“Everyone’s at the Burrow by now.”

“How long was I passed out?”

“About an hour,” George answered, “Bill went back and told everyone you were safe. Mum was so worried…she was crying.”

“I should go to the burrow, then,” Percy began searching for his wand.

“You shouldn’t apparate this soon after splinching.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“No!” George insisted, “Mum can come here if she wants to see you, but you need rest.”

…

“If you EVER talk to Percy like that again…!” Charlie had George pinned against the wall in Percy’s flat.

“Charlie,” Bill interrupted, “He’s already apologized.”

Charlie let George go.

“I wasn’t thinking,” George said, “I was angry, and I took it out on him and…he could have gotten hurt so much worse.”

“It was just his hand?” Charlie asked.

George nodded.

“He should be okay to apparate by tomorrow.”

“How do I…” George began.

“How do you what?” Charlie asked.

“I want to help him.”

“We know you do,” Bill said, “And, you know he’ll never forget what you told him.”

“He’ll forgive you,” Charlie added, “He’ll get better. You just have to give him time.”

…

“Percy?” George asked his brother, who was reading a newspaper at the Burrow.

“Mmm?”

“I know you’re upset at me…”

“I’m not upset,” Percy interrupted.

“You look upset.”

“What do you want?”

“I want to make it up to you,” George said, “I can’t undo what I said, but…I want to be a better brother.”

“You’re not a bad brother,” Percy said.

“I have been.”

“George…”

“Do you want to come to the shop?” George asked, “We can get something to eat. Catch up…if you want.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Lunch tomorrow?”

“Okay.”


End file.
